12-18-2006, 03:28 PM
[black][size 3]I would have to agree on your take on the situation with the climbers, but here are some of my observations.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Sometimes it is unavoidable to have to separate. But, that is a last resort, and one not taken lightly. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]It was a good thing to have a cell phone, but to rely on that as a means of rescue is an invitation to not survive. Especially to the exclusion of real preparation.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Knowing how most "self proclaimed" experienced outdoors people prepare for, act, and react to emergency situations, I am not surprised at all by what will undoubtedly be the outcome of this tragic situation that we will most likely read about in the near future. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Every year, "self described" experienced outdoors people place themselves in situations like this and do not survive - sometimes, they perish within a stone's throw of self rescue because they didn't have the where-with-all, common sense, or real experience to recogize it.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Those climbers were traveling light in adverse conditions - that should be the first hint that they were probably pretty clueless, and in reality, inexperienced. From the story thus far, it sounds like they were just thrill seekers that got in over their heads. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Traveling light, in the many of "weekend warrior's" mind set, probably means that they had no way to melt snow and may not even had a method to start a fire nor the knowledge and experience to do so when there is little or nothing that looks dry enough for your average boy scout to burn. They probably only had a couple of power bars each for sustenance. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]It is also likely that they learned somewhere that a person can not eat snow to rehydrate. Nothing could be further from the truth. Under some circumstances, it is advisable to not eat snow. But certainly, if the warmth requirements were met, then, it would be a perfectly acceptable method to get rehydrated. That is why many animals do it all the time - we too are animals, and have the exact same necessities in regards to water. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]When they carry a cell phone for "just in case" that usually means that the electronic device is intended to be their sole method of rescue and that it is adaquat to replace good old fashioned common sense, real knowledge and/or experience. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]They may have had some limited climbing experience, but as you pointed out, they definitely did not have the knowledge they thought they possesed, nor the outdoor experience they seem to have claimed and apparently, gambled their lives on that obviously inaccurate assumption, prior to this event. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Not knowing the full story as of yet(and we may never know the details), all I can really say at this point, is that it is a very
situation for the families of those climbers that looks like it could have been avoided by a little more preparation. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3] [/size][/black]
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[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Sometimes it is unavoidable to have to separate. But, that is a last resort, and one not taken lightly. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]It was a good thing to have a cell phone, but to rely on that as a means of rescue is an invitation to not survive. Especially to the exclusion of real preparation.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Knowing how most "self proclaimed" experienced outdoors people prepare for, act, and react to emergency situations, I am not surprised at all by what will undoubtedly be the outcome of this tragic situation that we will most likely read about in the near future. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Every year, "self described" experienced outdoors people place themselves in situations like this and do not survive - sometimes, they perish within a stone's throw of self rescue because they didn't have the where-with-all, common sense, or real experience to recogize it.[/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Those climbers were traveling light in adverse conditions - that should be the first hint that they were probably pretty clueless, and in reality, inexperienced. From the story thus far, it sounds like they were just thrill seekers that got in over their heads. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Traveling light, in the many of "weekend warrior's" mind set, probably means that they had no way to melt snow and may not even had a method to start a fire nor the knowledge and experience to do so when there is little or nothing that looks dry enough for your average boy scout to burn. They probably only had a couple of power bars each for sustenance. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]It is also likely that they learned somewhere that a person can not eat snow to rehydrate. Nothing could be further from the truth. Under some circumstances, it is advisable to not eat snow. But certainly, if the warmth requirements were met, then, it would be a perfectly acceptable method to get rehydrated. That is why many animals do it all the time - we too are animals, and have the exact same necessities in regards to water. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]When they carry a cell phone for "just in case" that usually means that the electronic device is intended to be their sole method of rescue and that it is adaquat to replace good old fashioned common sense, real knowledge and/or experience. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]They may have had some limited climbing experience, but as you pointed out, they definitely did not have the knowledge they thought they possesed, nor the outdoor experience they seem to have claimed and apparently, gambled their lives on that obviously inaccurate assumption, prior to this event. [/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3]Not knowing the full story as of yet(and we may never know the details), all I can really say at this point, is that it is a very
situation for the families of those climbers that looks like it could have been avoided by a little more preparation. [/size][/black] [black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3][/size][/black]
[black][size 3] [/size][/black]
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